I wanted to write one last post before this journey comes to an end. I am so thankful to have had this opportunity and can’t believe it has gone by so fast. It seems just like yesterday I was in a coffee shop with Rachael and Julianna, talking about our dreams for 2013. Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Never did I think a few months later I would be in Chile serving God. God does crazy, amazing things! Thank you everyone for all your prayers and encouraging words. Thank you dearly for all the letters I received these past two months! Thank you for supporting me in this journey and walking with me in it. You all mean so much to me and I can’t wait to give you all a big Chilean hug soon!

God has taught me so much and I’m grateful my spiritual journey won’t come to an end, but will keep growing as I leave Chile. The time spent at the school, with the girls at the House of Hope, and most importantly with God has truly changed my life. There have been so many wonderful memories made and friendships built that will last a lifetime. As I look back at all the many things God has taught me, one thing stands out….I have fallen deeper in love with God. 1 John 3:1, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” God’s love for us is far beyond anything we can imagine. He is our only satisfaction that can truly fulfill us.

Oh how I pray that you know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. He has an amazing plan for you and you just need to open your heart and trust Him! He loves you more than anyone ever could. Never forget that! Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper and not harm you; plans to give you hope and a future.” I love you all so much and can’t wait to see you soon! I should be heading out of Chile around 8:30 tomorrow night and get back to Iowa around 10:30 a.m. Thank you so much for walking with Jesus and me on this Chilean journey. ¡Chow!

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Went up to the top of the Andes Mountains today with the girls! CRAZY BLESSING!!! It was the first time for most of the girls to see and touch snow, let alone be on the mountains. Their eyes got so big and their mouths just dropped open at the first sight. It was so much fun to experience it with them. First we went to the top and watched the skiers while drinking some coffee. I have to admit it didn’t compare to Mt. Crescent in Iowa. I was a little relieved we weren’t actually skiing down the steep mountains! Then came time to play in some snow! The girls just lit up making snow men, snow angels, and throwing snowballs for the first time! It was a blast even with my toes frozen in tennis shoes and layers of socks. Following many pictures and moments of laughter we decided to jump back in the warm bus and eat. Then the snowfall came! It was perfect…a light snow fall on the Andes Mountains.  The drive home, back down the mountains was unbelievable. With the sun slowly going down, Christmas snow falling in July, and being with girls that has forever changed my life. Unforgettable!

Tomorrow is my last time at the church and goodbyes are coming around the corner. I am so excited for Monday, when I start back at the school again, but it is bittersweet because leaving those children is going to be one of the hardest things I ever have to do. God’s strength is the only thing that will get me through these goodbyes. I am so thankful He never leaves me! He is ALWAYS with us through everything!

 

“I will proclaim the name of the Lord. Oh, praise the greatness of our God!” Deuteronomy 32:3

You know those little prayers you don’t think God listens to or cares about? Well, He does listen to and cares about every one of those little prayers! I had been praying that I would be able to go to Vina del Mar somehow and what an answer to prayer! God totally blessed my prayer and I just got back from 4 days in Vina with the Palacios family! What a blast! I can’t wait to tell you all about it and show you pictures, but for now I will keep it to a minimum!

Can I start by saying what an amazing Creator we have?!? It was absolutely gorgeous seeing the ocean and mountains in one area. So many pictures!!! The first day we spent it at the beach shopping, walking, and eating! It was different walking along the beach in a turtleneck and scarf! One place we ate at was an empanada restaurant and got filled up on those; (crab & cheese, corn & tomato, and manjar) have to say the manjar empanada was my favorite. On Sunday we attended church and spent some more time at the beach including eating manjar ice cream. I also learned that it is very common for people to pump your gas for you while you just relax in your car at the gas stations. Hearing about that made me giggle! Then on Monday we went sight-seeing and walked around Valparaiso, another older part of Chile next to Vina del Mar. There I got to see all the many colored homes and wonderful artwork. We ate a chorrillana (French fries with onions, eggs, and different meats) at a little restaurant in Valparaiso! Lastly on Tuesday we spent the morning just hanging out together and in the afternoon went to a typical Chilean birthday party. Lots of food and lots of fun! One of many blessings there was getting to speak English with a blind pastor at the party and hearing his story. There is so much more I can’t wait to share with you all, but for now I better go help prepare lunch. Please keep in your prayers that this last week would be a good closing week and God would show me His will for each day. Thank you so much for your prayers and love. Miss you all so much!

Can’t believe this week is nearly over! Crazy! Thank you for all your prayers, God has really blessed this week! Every morning this week I have been able to have quiet time in God’s Word and enjoy His Presence. God has been showing me a lot during that time and I have been falling more and more in love with my Lord. Also in the mornings I have English Class with Tia Cecilia. It has truly brought us closer together and we are teaching each other a lot. God just tears down the communication barrier and whenever we have trouble understanding each other, we are both very patient. I am so thankful for the time with her. In the afternoons I have been working around the House of Hope and using my cleaning and organizing skills. I’m glad I can use my skills to help out the House of Hope in different ways.

Today I got to go to the street market with Tia Cecilia and it was a fun experience seeing all the different things people sell. I only was able to take one picture; when everyone started looking weirdly at me and my camera, I got nervous and didn’t want to risk anything! Once we got back from the market Lilo and I made lunch…sloppy joes! What an adventure! We had to improvise using steak-like meat, but it was fun learning together! I learned a lesson of my own…when cooking in Chile, make sure you have plenty of food. A typical American sloppy joe, chips, and jello meal is not enough for a Chilean lunch! My plans keep changing for this weekend so we will see what God has planned! I have learned to just let go and ask God to show me His ways. I can’t wait to tell you all about it and show you pictures soon! Miss and love you all!

Psalm 56:3-4, “When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid.” One of my devotionals recently from Jesus Calling I wanted to share with you. “You will never be in control of your life circumstances, but you can relax and trust in My control. Instead of striving for a predictable, safe lifestyle, seek to know Me in greater depth and breadth. I long to make your life a glorious adventure, but you must stop clinging to old ways. I am always doing something new within My beloved ones. Be on the lookout for all that I have prepared for you.” Reading that devotional, I felt challenged to ask myself if I’m living my life unpredictably. If we live predictable lives how are we following God’s will and trusting Him? I love how it says God is always doing something new within us. Change is good! Not knowing what is next is good! Trusting God’s control and following His will is how I want to live my life.

Last week on the last day before school break, the 8^th graders and I planned a surprise party for Tia Lucy to thank her for all that she does. It was a lot of fun and I was able to interact with the students on a more personal level. Stephanie, a 15 year old 8^th grader, told me what she has been going through. (Above picture, far left girl is Stephanie). Her mom is in prison for drug dealing and she doesn’t know who her dad is. She lives on her own and provides for herself. Stephanie thinks drug dealing is good because it provides money in an easy way. As she said those words my heart just sank deeper and deeper. Here was this young girl barely getting through 8^th grade, with no parents there for her, and being taught drug dealing is a good paying job. As I looked around the classroom I thought about how each student has a unique story and each one God loves and cares about. Please pray for Stephanie and all the students in La Pintana, Chile; that they would feel God’s love and accept His gift.  Thank you again for all your prayers and encouraging words!

Happy 4th of July!

 

HAPPY 4^TH OF JULY!!! I hope you all had a wonderful Independence Day today! It was a day full of blessings and memories. I took Paulina, who is leaving Saturday for winter break, out for the day. I got to see her college and experience the hour long public transportation ride to get there. Could not do that every day! Then we went to the largest mall in Chile to eat lunch...5 levels! Paulina picked Pizza Hut, so we shared an Italian pizza which was very similar in taste to the United States. We got to sit outside while eating and chatting away with a beautiful view of the city of Santiago. After some pizza we had a craving for something sweet so Paulina tried her first Berry Smoothie and I tried my first Chilean Churro. The churro was by far better than Taco Johns’…manjar (the Chilean “caramel” sauce) in the middle and dipped in chocolate! Then we were off to another hour long ride home.

Today it was one of the girls’ birthday at the House of Hope so we were planning a surprise birthday party for her tonight. Along with that everyone surprised me with celebrating the 4^th of July! Everything was in red, white, and blue with American flags and a common American cookout meal…hamburgers, chips, fried onion rings, and cake! On top of that someone sang the Star Spangled Banner for me! It was one 4^th of July that I will always remember!

God has a plan!

It has been a busy week/weekend! God reminded me this weekend that HE IS in control! I thought I had everything planned out, but God changed the plans! I was blessed to be able to spend the weekend with the Palacios Family again. I was a little nervous because Pamela wasn’t going to be there and she was the one who translated everything! Marco, their son, speaks English, but he is a guy who doesn’t converse much! Anyway, on Saturday they took me to a buffet restaurant and I tried many new things! Everything was pretty tasty, but the sushi!! Marco and I did not enjoy that one bit! My favorite part was the desserts, of course! That night we went to their young adult bible study and it was a blast seeing everyone again! Sunday we had church in the morning…it is awesome when God communicates for you! After church and lunch, I went with the Palacios to vote for Chile’s primary elections. Government topics are not my best, so when Miguel Palacios asked me questions about United States voting and elections I had to smile and laugh! I tried my best, but we didn’t get anywhere. Miguel was a good sport about it though! All in all it was a wonderful, relaxed weekend!

Today I was having a rough time with missing home and worrying about what I am going to do for two weeks without teaching at the school. (Next week and the following are winter break for the school I teach at). Then came God’s perfect timing…I received a letter from Kristi Diehl and just started crying waterworks in front of the girls. (Thank you so much for the letter Kristi, it was so encouraging!) The girls were so sweet and loving. A little later two of the girls came up to me full of smiles and hugs…”We got you some marshmallows so tonight we can build a fire and toast them! We also got you a loaf of bread from the United States!” Then of course the waterworks came again! It was the simplest thing, but meant so much! A blessing….Thank you Jesus! Please be in prayer for the coming two weeks and that I would just trust God’s plans even when I have no idea what they are. Also, please pray for Paulina, who is another one of the girls I have gotten real close to at the House of Hope. She is leaving Saturday to go back home for break and won't return before I leave; please pray for her safety and for the time this week we have together. It is going to be really difficult saying goodbye. Thank you so much for your prayers and encouraging words…they mean so much to me!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” This verse God kept bringing to my attention and I would just read it and go on to the next thing. Then this morning, with my bible open God led me right back there again. This time I slowed down while reading and that is when I understood. It had the three things God has been laying on my heart the past month. Be joyful always….God has been showing me that He is the only one who can deeply and fully satisfy me. Joy is a deep satisfaction in God and His ways. Pray continually….God has been challenging me greatly with my prayer life this week; in the midst of everything, I need to be continually praying and communicating with God. Giving thanks in all circumstances….God is my Creator and Planner; so I need to be thankful in every circumstance for what God has done or is doing. That includes getting rid of all the anxious thoughts and worries in my life! I find comfort in knowing that God will direct and guide me to knowing what His will is for my life. 

 

I have been having lots of fun at the school this week, especially during my time with the 4^th graders! Today as the students came pouring into the classroom they started forming a line to greet me with Chilean kisses. Two 4^th grade boys kept going through the line till they were the only ones left.  It was the sweetest thing! What a joy they bring to me! (Above picture of two 4th graders) Last night I made the girls monkey bread and they loved it! They never had anything like it and have been asking for more, but I told them our stomachs can’t handle more for a while! Thank you mom for the recipe! I can’t believe only 4 more weeks left. Please pray for my remaining time here and that God would bless it. Thank you all so much for your support and love!

Another weekend gone by rapidly! As I look back, I stand in awe at how great our God is. There were moments that I felt I couldn’t keep going and God would answer my prayers and just guide, provide, and comfort me. God is the one who I can solely rely on and trust will never leave me! Praise the Lord!

Saturday was very busy! A local supporting church came to the House of Hope and helped out with micro business and cleaning. It was a fun time with lots of Spanish! After they left all the girls were starving for some carne (meat), so we had a Chilean barbeque! I’m finding there is nothing like an Iowan/Nebraskan barbeque, but it was still tasty. I remember looking at the table at all the dishes and asking myself, “How can you mix peas, lettuce, salt, lemon juice, and corn together?” Like I said, nothing like the delicious corn on the cob, cheeseburger, and baked beans! Then, we all decided to take a taxi to the movie theater with Tom! What a blast! Most of the movies at the movie theater are in English with Spanish subtitles, so I was even more excited to watch Fast and Furious. We got a tub of popcorn and a Coca Cola to share and I was shocked when I took my first bite of popcorn. It was sweet kettle corn, the complete opposite of salty, butter popcorn like in the states. I had no idea Chile had different popcorn! We got back about 1:30 a.m. so I was ready for bed!

Sunday I went to church with Tom and it was very enjoyable getting to know him better. I am really going to miss him when he leaves Monday night! He has been such a blessing and an encouraging person to talk to. I also went to Lilo’s house and got to spend time with her family. Her niece and nephew showed me their Chilean dance outfit, known as the Cueca. Adorable! The weekend was a blessing and I am excited to see what God has planned for this week! Please pray for my English class tomorrow night with the adults and that it will be God’s class first and foremost and the communication wouldn’t be an issue. Also, keep in your prayers Tom as he is traveling back home! Thank you all so much for your encouragement and blessing. God is good!

This week at the school the students take tests for an hour each morning. I have had to observe the 8^th graders testing alone quite a bit. I find it hilarious how once Tia Lucy leaves the room and leaves me in charge, they think they can cheat on their tests. Oh boy were they wrong today!! I caught a girl with numerous cheat sheets, another girl with answers written on her arm, and answers being spoken in Spanish many times that numbers can’t even count. Though, the funniest moment was when a student was asking me a question and I saw a girl whispering an answer to another girl in the back of the classroom; I just gave her the look while smiling and waving! She saw I caught her once again and she shook her head in disbelief. There will be no cheating in my classroom!

Tia Lucy and I had time to just chat together and she told me how tired and stressed she is. She has had numerous talks from the principal because her students are doing very poorly in their academics, half the class has been suspended for behavior, and her class has been accused of stealing from the school. I asked her if she still enjoys teaching and she replied, “Yes, but the students make it very difficult and stressful. What keeps me going is the love I have for the students and I believe in them.” It brought tears to my eyes to hear her say these things because I have seen these students treat her so disrespectful, but she loves them with the love of Christ. I admire her strength, courage, and kindness as a teacher. I have and am still learning so much from her. She is a blessing and needs a lot of prayer. Please keep praying for her health and strength.

(Above picture is the playground at the school) Tom Orme, the director of Vision for Chile, arrived today and is staying till Monday! It is a blessing to be able to talk with him in English about how I’m doing and just to chat about what God is doing! Proverbs 16:9 “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”

I felt God telling me to share this with you; it is from Jesus Calling:
"Learn to laugh at yourself more freely. Don't take yourself or your circumstances so seriously. Relax and know that I am God with you. When you desire My will above all else, life becomes much less threatening. Laughter lightens your load and lifts your heart into heavenly places. I rejoice when you trust Me enough to enjoy your life lightheartedly. Do not miss the Joy of My Presence by carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. Rather, take My yoke upon you and learn from Me. My yoke is comfortable and pleasant; My burden is light and easily borne. Matthew 11:28-30"
God loves to hear our laughter!

What a weekend full of blessings! The Palacios Family were so welcoming and loving towards me! I absolutely loved every moment with them. They wanted to give me a weekend full of typical Chilean activities and food, so I really got to experience Chile! Saturday, we first celebrated Father’s Day with a huge breakfast (waffles, bacon, eggs, and fresh bread) which was sort of Chilean, and then Cecilia and Pamela took me all over Santiago! We went to Santa Lucia where the “White House” and downtown area is and climbed a famous mountain/hill which was so beautiful! We ate some Chilean peanuts which were coated in sugar and butter and then went shopping in a vending market! A fun time that was! They also took me up another mountain where statues and a catholic church were; Catholicism is the main religion in Chile. I tried Mote which is a peach drink with rice; not my favorite dessert I may say! Also ate my first Chilean ham and cheese empanada; nothing like the ones at Taco Bell! It was so much fun being at the top of those mountains and seeing Santiago. It was sad you couldn’t see far though because the air was full of smoke from all the pollution. Saturday night I went to a young adult’s gathering at their church, which is where my mom served at during her mission’s trip! It was a neat experience to see all the work my mom did in person! Sunday morning was church and celebrated Father’s Day more! I got to see Giovanni, whom stayed with my family for a while when he visited Iowa. The church has an area of pictures from our churches past mission trips there and when I saw them I just started crying. It made me miss my family and church family so much! Thank you Lord for the loving and amazing church family you have blessed me with! I don’t know how to explain my experience at the church…but it was a blessing. After church the Palacios made me a Chilean barbeque, full of sausage and all those meats whose names you can’t pronounce! Also, there was the typical Chilean salad (tomatoes with onions on top with lots of salt and oil), corn with mayo, and 3 Leches ice cream! Yummy! It was hard to say goodbye to them, but we are planning to see each other before I leave one last time!

As I reflected on my weekend I thought about what God showed me. He really showed me that He is my STRENGTH! At those times when I missed my family and home the most, He was my comfort and strength. He also showed me that there is no need to worry about what is ahead. So often I worry about what is next and what I need to prepare for, rather than just BEING. This weekend I had no idea what was next and I could just focus on being and enjoying life. I thought about how difficult it is to just BE in the U.S. because life can get so busy and we get caught up in planning ahead while what we need to do instead is TRUST God will direct us and supply our needs. Jeremiah 29:11

Happy Father’s Day again Dad!!! God sure blessed me by having you as my father. Thank you for being such a godly and loving man. I love you and miss you so much!! Enjoy the snickers ice cream!

 

“I caused a lot of trouble when I was little and went to a girl’s orphanage at the age of 7 in La Pintana. I grew up believing that once people turned 18 years old they were bad. I never wanted to turn 18. As long as I can remember, I wanted to kill my mother, my brother, and myself. For my 15^th birthday when I was blowing my candles on my birthday cake out, I wished that my mother, brother, and myself would die. No one knew I wished that, only I did. I tried a lot to kill myself, but it never worked. Then my last year came at the orphanage and I went to a mandatory week-long church camp. It was very boring and every time Jesus was talked about I would say, “Oh yeah…that is great.” Then the last day came and it was like a light bulb came on. Jesus was there with me and I changed. I didn’t want to kill my mother, brother, or myself anymore. I asked Jesus into my heart. Then somehow before I was to leave the orphanage, someone told me I could go to the House of Hope. That is when I met Tio Tom and when I started living at the House of Hope. The House of Hope has helped me grow closer to Jesus and helped me have many opportunities.”

This is one of the girls’ testimony, at the House of Hope. She said I could share it with you and I wanted to share it exactly how she told me. She is one who I have gotten to know very well and I’m able to speak fluent English with. Her name is Lilo (picture above is of Lilo and me) and I want to ask if you would pray for her. Please pray she would keep drawing closer to Jesus Christ. She is a Sunday school teacher and also goes to school. She is a strong young woman and has been through a lot, but has learned from a lot of mistakes.  She is a beautiful daughter of God!

Today I had an awesome spanish moment!! I was helping this lady who works at the House of Hope and is like a mother to everyone, but she doesn't speak any English. It has been very difficult for me to communicate with her and often have felt discouraged. Though, today it was like God just spoke words out of my mouth and we were saying multiple, full sentences to each other in Spanish; I actually understood our conversation! Praise the Lord!!! This weekend I get to spend time with the Palacios family, whom my mother stayed with when she was down here. I am very excited to see them and build a stronger friendship with! I also get to visit their church, which is where my mother served at! Have I said how excited I am!!!??? Can’t wait to tell you all about the weekend!

Hey everyone! I am so sorry I haven’t updated in a while!!! The internet at the House of Hope is awful and when you call an internet company to come fix your problem in Chile, don’t expect them to come when you ask them to.

I can’t believe it is nearly the middle of June already! Time sure flies by! This past weekend I was blessed to be able to go to Los Dominicos, which is a really rich, beautiful, and clean place in Santiago. I stayed with an English speaking family, who supports and helps out with Vision For Chile. It was a nice change to be in a family setting again and be with people from the United States. Three of my favorite things from the weekend…the beautiful view of the city, attending their English speaking church, and eating at a pizza place where you could watch them make the dough and cook your pizza! It was absolutely tasty as well! The scariest moment…I had to ride the metro/subway there and back alone. I know for a fact it was all God because I had no idea where I was going, but God just kept directing my feet and somehow got to where I needed to be. There was one moment I was on the subway and a lot of sentences in Spanish were being said over the speakers, but I had no idea what was being said. The subway stopped like usual and I noticed a ton of people were getting off, more than usual. I looked one way and there was no one else on and I turned the other direction and it was empty as far as I could see. I quickly jumped off and good thing I did because the subway went a ways and then stopped in between walls to be fixed. God is good and always with us! That is all I got to say!

I started an English class yesterday with four girls at the House of Hope! It was a lot of fun just laughing together and building friendships! It is nice having a class where the students are respectful and keep their hands to themselves. I had my weirdest food in Chile also recently…flan. I heard about it in the United States, but never tried it. Not my favorite, but it is edible!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” God has been challenging me with praying continually and asking His Spirit to take charge of the details of each and every day. God never wants us to lose sight of His presence. Thank you so much for praying for my parents! They are back safely and had a blessed trip!

I am doing very well this week however I am unable to update everyone due to the House Of Hope internet being out of service. I hope to update everyone as soon as it is repaired. Allison (Via Rick)

Days are going by faster each day! Monday, Megan, the other intern left and it was hard I have to admit. That night God really showed me how often I rely on other people rather than Him. It is so easy for me to find comfort or satisfaction in someone’s words or presence; it is very dangerous. Of course God kept at it and in my quiet time I read all about finding satisfaction in God! It is really cool when God does those things, even if you don’t appreciate them at first! Isaiah 55:1-2 says “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.”

Every morning I look forward going to the school and just being with the young children! I can’t describe in words how much excitement I get from teaching!! Even though the student’s behavior is often very bad, you have those moments where it all makes it worth it! Please pray for Tia Lucy, who I am teaching with. She gets so frustrated and worn out from the student’s disrespecting her and causing disruptions during class time. I admire her patience when a student just gets up and goes and hits another student for no reason. She is a blessing and a wonderful teacher! This morning I had a horrific sight on my way to school. Every morning I walk past a house that has little puppies in the front yard and for some reason they were out of their fence today. The puppies mom ran across the street and of course one puppy followed. I could see what was going to happen, but it happened to quickly for me to do anything. A driver ran over the puppy’s little leg and it cried helplessly limping back to its’ home. I just started crying because the driver never stopped to see if it was ok and I don’t understand why dogs here in Chile are treated like trash. It made me miss Lizzie even more!

Last night was my first time leading devotional time with the girls. We are going through the book Jesus Calling. It is a little difficult translating what I want to say into Spanish, but the girls are wonderful and patient! After devotional time I spent some time with one of the girls who speaks very good English, Stephanie. We were talking and I asked her what her story/testimony is. God truly blessed our conversation. We just sat together crying, laughing, and telling each other our pasts. Each and every girl here really has a unique story and I hope to get to know each one.

Thank you for praying for the other interns safe travels home! They both made it home safely!

What a weekend! Saturday was very busy at the House of Hope. In the morning we had an activity with young students from a really nice school. We taught them how to cook some Chilean food, make bracelets and earrings the girls sell, and played games with them. We made 3 leche (milk) cake, braided underwear, and sweet bread! It was a lot of fun and I met some amazing people! Kelley, a mom of some students was one of those people; she helps out with the House of Hope and the interns. I was able to be very vulnerable with her about my homesickness and worries. She was very encouraging and told me she has already been planning my weekend schedules, which was one of my worries. I get to spend this coming weekend with her and her family! I am super excited for that and she is planning some weekends in July for me to stay with families from her church. Thank you Lord! After that high schoolers came from the same school that we met last weekend! It was a blessing to see them all again and get to know them better! Once everything got cleaned up, we had a girl’s night with some of the girls, Megan, and me. We made cookies, chatted, and laughed together! One of the girls I have gotten very close to at the House of Hope shared some exciting news with me…she has been praying to go to Africa for a long time on an intern/missions trip and yesterday found out that someone has paid for her to go! Praise the Lord!

Today is Megan’s last day so we are spending it together and tonight are going out with some girls and having a fun time! Don’t know what God has planned for us yet, but excited to see! Praise the Lord my parents got to their cruise ship safely! They deserve a trip like this, just the two of them! I am teaching an English class tomorrow evening with older adults attending it. It is really out of my comfort zone level because I am very comfortable teaching little children, but not adults older than me. Please be in prayer about that and that God would be glorified through it.

 In my quiet time today I read this and really needed it…needed His Peace about a situation and wanted to share it. “Peace comes in situations that are completely surrendered to the sovereign authority of Christ. Sometimes when we finally give up trying to discover all the answers to the whys in our lives and decide to trust our sovereign God, unexpected peace washes over us like a summer rain.”

Everyone thank you so much for all your prayers! It means so much to have so many people care and encourage you through this journey. Yesterday I was having a hard time missing home and my family, so I prayed God would just comfort me and fill me with His Presence. He answered my prayer and comforted me tremendously. I really need to concentrate on just BEING instead of looking at how long two months is. Please pray the homesickness would go away a little bit. We had completos for “once” which is the Chilean hotdog! They put the hotdog inside homemade bread with avocado, tomatoes, mayo, ketchup, and mustard on it! It looked scary at first, but tasted pretty amazing!

Today it was raining again and my walk to the school was quite an adventure. Streets were nearly flooded again and on the sidewalks I had to jump, tiptoe, and get my feet drenched! Thankfully one of the girls let me borrow their umbrella and rain jacket, but tennis shoes are not the best here when raining! I got to the street I had to cross and man was I nervous. I could either walk in water up to my knees, try to find a shallow area quite a ways down, or ride the cart the man on the other side of the street had. Well, I had no money so the cart was out of the question and as far as I could see it only got deeper. So, I just kept jumping and praying no cars would come! I quickly got to the other side drenched, feet soaking wet, and the cart man laughing at me! Next time I am bringing money to get across the street in the cart!

Also, today is one of the interns last day and Monday the other one leaves. I have mixed feelings; I am nervous because they were the ones I could go to with any questions, but I am also excited because I think God is going to teach me more with them gone. Please pray for both of their safety as they travel home and please pray my worries won’t overcome me. I love you all so much!!

2 Thess. 3:16 “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. “

“We have to show you something!!!” said two girls. I had no idea what it would be, but as I followed my eyes to where they were pointing, I stopped suddenly and my mouth dropped open. God is good! After two full days of drenching rain, there came a perfectly clear view of the most beautiful mountains I had ever seen. No picture can fully grasp the full beauty, but it surely shows what an amazing Creator we have!

Today I was blessed to be able to teach 4^th graders and it was wonderful might I add! That is the grade I hope to teach someday in my own classroom. Tia Lucy is stretching me for sure! She gives me the activities for the class and steps back and there I go. One thing I learned today is how flexible teachers need to be, especially when all electricity goes out! I absolutely love seeing light bulbs coming on in student’s minds and knowing they are learning and get it. The time with the 4^th graders went by so quick! Afterwards I went to one of the girls’ home for lunch and spent time with her family! I am loving these desserts here! Every time I see a yummy dessert I think of my mom, and know we are going to have so much fun when I get back cooking!!!

Please pray for my parents as they are traveling and enjoying their anniversary. Pray for their safety and blessing on their time together! Also, please keep in your prayers that I wouldn’t get discouraged when I have difficulty communicating. I am starting to get discouraged often and stop trying to converse. I know I am learning, but it is hard! Love you all and thank you for all your prayers and encouraging words!

¡Lluvia lluvia! Rain rain! It has been raining in Santiago nonstop for two days! All the schools in Santiago were closed today because of flooding, so no teaching for me.  I never knew schools would close because of rain! You can’t cross streets because the water is knee high so these men have carts to carry people across streets. I haven’t gotten the chance to ride in one yet, but I think that would be a fun and wet experience! The rain kept everyone inside today and we all had a relaxing time together just hanging out. We attempted to make sopapillas, but they turned out as donuts! My mom would be so proud!

I had a lot of quiet time today also which I needed. In 1 Corinthians 2:9 it says, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.” That verse was so comforting to me today and knowing that what God wants to do in all our lives, our minds have never conceived. His plan for me is far better than mine could ever be. So many times I think I know what is going on and what’s next, but then something unexpected happens. Those are the times when I try to keep pulling on the reigns, but rather I need to just let go, step out in faith and trust God and His plans. I get worn out if I try to keep everything going according to my plans. So why not let go of my plans and trust God’s, He knows what is best for me anyways.

First day at the school and first day of rain! Not what I expected at all. I first met with the principal and Tia Lucy, who I would be assisting. They were so nice and welcoming. Tia Lucy teaches English, but is still learning English herself so it was a challenge to communicate. We walked into her first class and saw students on the floor fighting and kicking each other, screaming students, things being thrown across the room, girls pulling each other’s hair; it was a mess. I couldn’t believe students were allowed to act this way. Though, Tia Lucy came in calmly and tried to get everyone settled down. It took a long time, but once books were passed out some order was made in the classroom. I pronounced their English vocabulary to the students and helped them with their worksheets for a while. Soon came break/play time and Tia Lucy and I were off to her next English class. This time they were older students and pretty well behaved. I did the same pronouncing their vocabulary and helping with worksheets and the students helped me with the vocabulary in Spanish! The time at the school went by quick, but I observed and learned a lot. Seeing how the children acted, I know in my classroom respect and discipline needs to be taught. This picture is of inside the school; the open outside area is the play area and the classrooms are all around in the shape of a square. The classrooms have very minimum in them and are dirty, cold, and are not inviting learning environments.

My Spanish is getting better and I am finding it is a lot easier to communicate with younger children than older. I had to use “sentarse” a lot today which means “sit down!” I will be working at the school Monday-Friday from 10:00-1:00 for the next two months! I am excited, but at the same time overwhelmed by the difference in education here compared to the United States. Please be in prayer for Tia Lucy and I; that we would get better at understanding and communicating with each other. Also, please pray God would give me patience when working with the children and their behavior. Miss everyone so much!!!

Hola! Went to church today and what an experience! It left me speechless worshipping in another language with brothers and sisters of Christ. Seeing how little they have, but yet none of that matters because God only cares what is in your heart. I thought to myself how sad it is that so many churches in the U.S. have more than enough and still are not satisfied while churches in poor countries have nothing, but yet have everything. It made me grateful for what God has blessed me with at home and my church. After church I went to one of the girls home and spent almuerzo and once with their family. Once again they had pretty much nothing, but were so happy and generous. I learned another Fun Chile Fact: In the U.S. we are taught not to put elbows on the table, but in Chile you are taught to put elbows on the table and claim your space at the table! It was a fun day with tasty Chilean food including lots of homemade bread!!!

Today we went to an International School in Santiago and helped out at their garage sale. The girls at the House of Hope make and sell lots of things such as earrings, bracelets, and flip flops which they sold today! It was a lot of fun and we had a great view of the mountains the whole time! This picture is just one of many taken today! I got to meet and talk with other college students that were in the National Honor Society who supported the House of Hope in many ways. It was a cool experience and a blessing to see how generous and loving Chilean people are. In Chile there is a lot of segregation between the rich and poor. Just from driving to a different part of Santiago you can see the difference in enironments and culture. In the United States there is still some segregation, but nothing like what is here in Chile. It is just something that needs a lot of prayer.
I got an email from Pamela Palacios today which is an answer to prayer! We are setting dates to meet each other and am so excited! Tomorrow I will be going to the C&MA church next door with some girls and on Monday I will be starting at the school! Please be in prayer about Monday, I am pretty nervous becuase I don't know what to expect or how it will go. Thank you for all your prayers and comments! They are all so encouraging!

Wanted to share this from Jesus Calling- "The world is too much with you, My child. Your mind leaps from problem to problem, tangling your thoughts in anxious knots. When you think like that, you leave Me out of your world-view and your mind becomes darkened. Though I yearn to help, I will not violate your freedom. I stand silently in the background of your mind, waiting for you to remember that I am with you. When you turn from your problems to My Presence, your load is immediatley lighter. Circumstances may not have changed, but we carry your burdens together. Your compulsion to fix everything gives way to deep, satisfying connection with Me. Together we can handle whatever this day brings."

Today has been better! Yesterday was a hard day emotionally and physically. The biggest culture shock is how much down time there is and how different lifestyle is compared to the United States. In the U.S. we all are on the go one thing after another, but here it is just whatever. I am not used to being able to have multiple hours of quiet time, but it is good! God is really teaching me to solely rely on Him. He is all I need, but I think often I forget that and go to other people instead of Him. In Matthew 6:8 it says, “the Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” How often do we forget that?

I learned a fun Chile fact today…Dinner in Chile is called “once” because a long time ago men would go to the bar before dinner and would get a drink that had 11 letters in it. They wouldn’t get home till really late for dinner and dinner became “once”, pronounced like the number 11 in Spanish!

I start working at the school Monday and tomorrow the other two interns and I will go to a museum to learn about the history of Chile so I will be prepared in that area when I work with kids. We have to take public transportation, the bus, and I am pretty nervous because it is not like our buses in the U.S. and plus I have never rode in public transportation! Tonight I am going to guitar lessons with Megan, another intern to see the school and maybe pick up guitar!

Please pray I would be able to contact some friends in Santiago that my parents met when they were down here. I would like to get together with them and see where my parents were when they went on their mission trip. Also, please pray that I will learn to not be anxious about my schedule and worry what is next. I don’t know my schedule and that is very difficult for me. I like to know things especially what is coming!

Made it to Santiago safely! It has been a crazy day for sure. I was able to find Tio Daniel easily, praise the Lord! Before we got to the House of Hope he took me around the town, La Pinta, which is the poorest and worst place to live in Chile according to Chileans. Trash is everywhere, no grass like the Midwest, the homes look like jail cells, and hundreds of dogs searching for food. Then we turned the corner and there was this house that looked like heaven compared to everything else. It was the House of Hope! It is near the school, orphange, and C&MA church. It is sure a blessing in this little town. I am getting bits and pieces listening to spanish conversations, but I am learning that I have to make mistakes to get better at spanish. Otherwise I can't join conversations and build friendships. This is going to be an adventure! Please pray I will feel 100% physically soon...the 10 hour flight really got to my stomach. Also, please pray for Diana and Megan who are here with me till the beginning of June and will be teaching me things needed to be done when they leave. Thank you for your prayers! Chow!

Arrived in Dallas safely! Praise the Lord! Plane ride went by quick and missed the storm thankfully! I was a little nervous about riding the train in between terminals, but it went great and fast.  It is really neat to be on a plane and wonder where each individual is headed to and why. Every person really has a story! Sitting at my gate to board my next plane to Santiago, Chile at 9:00pm. Please be in prayer that when I arrive tomorrow morning (8:10am) in Chile I will be able to find Tio Daniel easily!

Waiting to board flight to Dallas!!! Here we go Lord!!!

     1 more day!!! I can’t believe how fast time has flown by. It seems like it was just yesterday, sitting in a coffee shop with Julianna and Rachael talking about our dreams and goals for 2013! I never thought I would be doing this! Thank you all for your support and prayers on this journey. God has truly blessed me with an amazing group of loving and encouraging friends and family. You all mean so much to me and I wish I could find the right words to say thank you, but no words can fully tell you how thankful I am.

     I am really seeing how perfect God’s plans are because with work and school everything is falling into place perfectly. Not at all how I thought it would go, but so much better! I am really learning that God has a specific plan for each of us that don’t even come close to our little imperfect plans in our heads. God’s timing is truly amazing!

     I had a conference call a few days ago to go over my itinerary and had some unexpected news. A while ago there was a girl that I was told would be there with me during the time I would be. I was excited that I would have somebody there to talk to and relate to. Though, one of the first things discussed on the call was that the girl decided to leave Chile early for various reasons and would not be down there with me. All of a sudden I started doubting my decision and wondering if I could really do this. If she can’t make it, then how could I? How could I do this without another intern? The rest of the call went pretty well, but I did get a sense of what the communication barrier will be like. Am I really ready for this? I left the call with mixed emotions and knew I had to step away from it all and just pray.

     God reminded me that He is the only one I need. He has gotten me this far and I need to trust Him fully. I know He is sending me to Chile and I want to obey. After praying about everything I felt peace that God planned for this girl to not be interning with me for a reason and I just didn’t know yet. Once again God HAS a Plan! A really good friend of mine reminded me yesterday that we can only see part of the picture. It is like someone making a tapestry where on the backside everything is all tangled up and on the front everything is perfect and has a clear picture. We see the backside and think that everything is messed up while God is creating an amazing picture on the front that is perfect. All we need to do is trust Him and His plans.

     Tomorrow my plane leaves Omaha, NE at 4:00 pm and I will head to Dallas. I am pretty nervous because I have only flown once before and I had parents to tell me exactly what to do then, but not this time! Once in Dallas I will have a two hour layover and then head to Santiago, Chile for a 10 hour flight. On Wednesday I will arrive in Chile at 8:00 am and will hopefully meet Tio Daniel at the airport. Please pray for travel safety and that I will easily be able to find Tio Daniel at the airport. I am still not sure what it will be like or what my schedule will look like, but I am going to try my best to keep you all updated with posts and pictures. Thank you again for all your prayers and support!

 

¡Hola amigos y familia!

      I thought I would try writing a blog and keeping a journal throughout this journey so I would be able to communicate with everyone! I can’t believe I leave in less than 40 days for Chile!!! I am so excited and thankful! Thank you all so much for being a blessing to me and for partnering with me in this amazing adventure! I also want to thank you all again for your prayers and financial contributions. I reached my financial goal above and far beyond! God is good and faithful! 

     I am so excited to see what God has in store for me and to follow his plan for me! God keeps bringing to mind my life verse, Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” God has a plan for each and every one of us and that should bring us comfort knowing that. We don’t have to worry about tomorrow or get stuck in our past; God is with us today and He wants us to live today glorifying Him in everything we say and do.

     One thing that God has been teaching me since the beginning of this journey is trusting in Him. I often find myself worrying and trying to figure out all the details for things in my life. Even with this internship I do not know details which is not comfortable for me at all, but that is ok! I am learning that God wants us to trust Him in every detail of our lives. Nothing random is in His kingdom. Everything that happens fits into a pattern for good, to those who love Him. Instead of trying to analyze the intricacies of the pattern, we need to focus our energy on trusting Him and thanking Him at all times.

     I will do my best to keep you all updated on what God is doing and prayer requests through this blog! Will you please pray for me as I study and practice Spanish in the following weeks that I will be able to use those skills to share God’s love in Chile? His love is amazing and I want to share that even with a language barrier present. I can’t thank you all enough for everything you have done for me. God Bless!

               

Jeremiah 29:11

    "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."